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Apple passes Amazon to become the #3 US music retailer
Things must seem pretty rosy in Cupertino -- just a week before the mega-hyped launch of you-know-what, market research group NPD's quarterly survey shows Apple has passed Amazon to become the third biggest music retailer in the US. This isn't the biggest of surprises, since Steve himself predicted that the iTunes Store would overtake Amazon at the Showtime event back in September, but the leap to #3 is a little unexpected, since Apple also outpaced Target last quarter. iTunes is now rocking a 10% market share, just behind Wal-Mart at 16% and Best Buy at 14%, and while we don't expect to see it pass those two giants anytime soon, we'd bet that uptick in DRM-free sales has got the iTMS crew at Apple licking their chops.
iTunes collects season finales for you
Say what you will about the video quality of iTunes content, but it sure is convenient to download an episode or two of a show that you missed when it aired. The web elves that run the iTunes Store are determined to make it even more convenient it would seem, as they have gathered all the TV season finales available for purchase on one page [iTunes link]. Everything from American Dad to Battlestar Galatica is listed for your viewing pleasure. Be sure to check back because shows are going to be added daily.Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find out if Sylar is stopped (warning, if you don't like spoilers I wouldn't click that Sylar link).
Apple to credit song purchases towards full album sales?
Also known as "the feature that should've been there from the start," it sounds like Apple is finally working out deals with labels to allow for the purchase of singles on iTunes to act as credit towards the purchase of the full album from whence they came, at least within a limited time frame. Such a deal has been rumored before, but this time the word is from the New York Times, citing "people involved in the negotiations," which sounds decidedly less sketch. Obviously, there's still much to learn, since we don't know what kind of time period Apple has in mind, and we don't know how many labels it has on board, but we can think of many a DRM slave music consumer that would benefit from this deal -- and don't get us started on season passes.[Via Ars Technica]
Star Trek in iTunes (again)
Back in January, episodes of the original Star Trek TV series were added to the US iTunes store. Then they disappeared, and now they're back again - two times over.Specifically, the original first season [iTunes link], is listed separately from the digitally enhanced episodes from the same season [iTunes link]. We'd like to say that the former is for purists, and the latter for the more adventurous among us, but iTunes customers have left comments stating that both collections feature enhanced episodes.It's more confusing than The Menagerie.Anyway, if you're a fan of TOS (and who isn't, really?), go and pick this up.
Super Bowl highlights now in iTunes
If you want to relive that abysmal game for only $1.99US (it's a 22 minute video), just click here to be taken to the iTunes Store.Now that the season is over, I wonder if that's the end of NFL content in iTunes? The Pro Bowl will be played this weekend, and the NFL Network (which has been providing content all along) will continue to broadcast, of course.Oh, who am I kidding? Football is over. Darnit.
Apple patents iTMS transaction service for iPhone
Joining Sony Ericsson in the growing list of cellphone-related patents unearthed today, it appears that Apple is doing a good bit of work behind the scenes to ensure that future iPhone users will be able to access and purchase tunes (and video?) from the iTunes Store. Apple's recently filed "Configuration of a computing device in a secure manner" patent lays out in a good bit of detail how users of a mobile device (wireless iPod?) could access the iTMS and perform "transactions." It goes on to speak of "digital signatures" that would presumably have to be validated before any unexpected downloads took place, and it also pictures a handset (props to Nokia candybars of days past) communicating with an actual PC, which then contacts the "content and commerce" servers on the other side of the wire. In other details, there's photo evidence that some sort of downloadable upgrades / expansions could be available, probably referring to future firmware updates that could be initiated through the iTunes application. Granted, the whole mess of legal jargon is a bit hard for the layman to truly grasp, and it seems that Apple was simply throwing out as many vague words and possibilities to encompass anything that actually gets decided, but be sure to hit the read link anyway for more textual confusion and pictorial delight.
How Apple helps the environment
Are you paying attention, Greenpeace?Blogger Chiggs at Torents examines the iTunes Store's impact on the environment, and it's a favorable one. The production of a single CD results in aluminum, nickel, dyes, polycarbonates and more. At this month's Macworld Expo, Steve Jobs announced that the iTunes Store had sold 2 billion songs. At an average of 12 tracks per disc, Chiggs figures, that's the equivalent of 166 million CDs worth of those dangerous materials. What's more, that many CDs would cover 1,050 miles when laid flat. That's quite a chunk of landfill.He also considers the results of transporting all of those CDs by truck. It's certainly a good article, and worth your time. So buy your music from the iTunes store...and save a tree, hippie.[Via MacNN]
iTunes now 4th largest music retailer
In case your synapses are still blown with iPhone, a quick trip back to the beginning of the keynote today: the iTunes Music Store has sold over two billion songs, and is now the fourth largest music retailer in the US, ahead of Amazon.com and sneaking up on #3 Target. So much for the faux slowdown...
Shopping at iTunes Japan--from America
Web vendor jbox offers iTunes Japan Music Cards from its online site. With one of these cards you can make purchases at the Japan iTS. The cards obviously come at a slight premium. A 1500 yen card, which is worth just under $13 in real US money costs $18 at the site. A 3000 card, worth closer to $25, costs $35. That means that individual tracks, which would normally cost between $1.25 and $1.30 based on the Yen/US $ conversion rate, will set you back about $1.75 to $1.80. For the convenience and access to the foreign store, that's not too horrible a deal.
iTunes movie downloads to go for $14.99 a pop?
Yeah, we've been around the block on this rumor a few times already, but some interesting new details about a possible (some would say invitable) iTunes Movie Store have emerged in a recent BusinessWeek article. The gist of the report is that Wal-Mart has been talking up the Hollywood suits lately, and isn't too happy with the idea of Apple selling new releases for a mere $15 while Wal-Mart has to spend $17 wholesale for the same title in physical form. Of course, that $14.99 number -- $9.99 for older movies -- isn't exactly official, but the way Wal-Mart is purportedly going off about it, it seems to be a very real figure indeed. According to BusinessWeek, the Wal-Mart gripes are one of many reasons Apple has been having trouble signing up studios other than Disney (of which Steve Jobs is the largest shareholder) for the store. Some studios aren't happy with iTunes DRM that allows playback on up to five devices, while others are afraid of getting locked into a single pricepoint with Steve Jobs and co.. Either way, it's clear that movie downloads are the future -- Wal-Mart has their own such service in the works -- but we just hope these "discussions" end soon; before we end up spending $45 a flick and verifying our identity for playback with thumbpricks and urine samples.
QTFairUse6: is Hymn finally back to strip FairPlay on iTunes 6?
Remember Hymn? You should, back in the day (like, um, 2004) it allowed you to strip the FairPlay DRM right off iTunes Music Store bought files just like that; well, it's been a long time in coming, but a new app called QTFairUse6 looks like it can now be used (with some amount of difficulty) to dump iTunes version 6.0.4 - 6.0.5 files of their chastely protection. It's not quite as slick as FairUse4WM or anything, but if you're not afraid to get your hands dirty with a little python up in this piece, you can get yours now; if not, it shouldn't be too long before our man Igor S.'s next-gen method for circumventing Apple's copy protection methods makes its way into a nice, neat little graphical interface all the Macs in the house are sure to adore. And, of course, then it's not too much longer after that when Apple blocks out this hack of Hymn and moves on to the next FairPlay iteration. DRM man, it's like a freaking möbius strip of consumer hurt.
Pre-order page on the iTunes Music Store
First Apple gave us one spot to get all those sweet, sweet free videos from the iTunes Music Store. Now, they have collected all the albums (do they still call them albums?) that are available for pre-order in one place. Apple has dubbed this page 'Tommorow's Hits Today,' which is kind of catchy.Get to pre-ordering!
iTunes Music Store: resistance is futile
The Associated Press says the writing is on the wall: either your music is available on iTunes or you're irrelevant. The article points out that several artists that were resistant to having their music available online have given in (and flagging CD sales aren't helping). However, there are still holdouts including Kid Rock and the Beatles. Why don't they want consumers to have more options? There are many reasons, though the article cites: Piracy (which CD's really don't stop) Not wanting people to only buy one track (you must respect the album and not get the one good song without all the crappy ones) Small profits from online sales Will we see the Beatles catalog available on the iTunes Music Store? Perhaps when I'm 64 (get it? Aww, come on that was funny).
Warner Music preps iTunes compatible "DVD album"
We'd probably have to take our shoes off to count all the physical formats that have been released in hopes of supplanting the J-Pop indie rock CDs on our shelf, but Warner Music Group is going to give it another go. Their new "DVD album" (not quite as exciting of a name as those SACDs or DualDiscs, but look how they turned out) features stereo and surround sound mixes of the album, along with a whole bunch extras like ringtones, remixes, photos and video footage. The real kicker is that Warner is supposedly close to a deal with Apple that will allow them to bundle pre-ripped iTunes versions of the tracks. Those in the know are saying that Apple will probably create the tracks and then ship 'em to Warner for placement on the DVDs, since Apple is loathe to license their DRM tech. We're not completely sure how the tracks can be tied to a single computer if they aren't bought straight off the iTunes Music Store, but we're sure they'll figure out something.[Via iLounge]
Should Apple rename the iTunes Music Store?
After I finished my last post I got to thinking (dangerous, I know): the iTunes Music Store name is hopelessly out of date. Let's think for a moment of all the things you can download from the iTMS: Music Music Videos Television Shows Short Films If you include the podcasting section then the list is even longer: PDF's Video podcasts Audio podcasts So, while music is still a large part of the iTunes Music Store it is only a part. I think it is about time (Steve, are you listening?) that Apple rebrand the store. I'm thinking 'the iTunes Media Store,' because that why they wouldn't even need to get new monogrammed towels.Readers, you are all far more clever than I: should Apple change the name of the iTunes Music Store? If so, what should they change it to? Have at it in the comments, I really want to know what folks think.
Wh- What? Metallica in iTunes!
Forget the bluetooth Mighty Mouse, today's huge news is that Metallica's catalog has been added to the iTunes Music Store [iTunes link]. You may remember how vehemently anti-download this band has been since the Napster days. Either the guys have mellowed a bit (isn't that what this movie was about?) or they've seen the dollar signs. Either way, their music is available today.
Microsoft's Zune will target iPod/iTunes
When it comes to producing an iPod killer, Microsoft may finally be putting its (considerable) money where its mouth is. The company announced on Friday that a new line of portable media devices and online service, collectively known as "Zune," will target the iPod and iTunes Music Store. The hard drive-based devices will feature wifi connectivity and an option to purchase music all on their own. Also, it is said that Zune device users in the same hotspot will be able to browse and listen to one another's playlists.We'll see which (if any) of these features actually see the light of day, but it sure sounds interesting.
WWDC rumors: new nanos, iTMS movie rentals?
As if the Apple rumor mill wasn't peppy enough on the off days, things are really getting moving now that their Worldwide Developers Conference is mere weeks away. Some flavor of Mac Pro seems a shoo-in, but Think Secret has some dirt on the iTunes Music Store and iPod nano, which they think are due for some keynote love as well. On the iTunes front, the word is that Steve Jobs will announce movie rentals for the store, with titles coming from Walt Disney, Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, and Warner Bros. -- with more on the way. While a significant move, this marks a bit of a defeat for Jobs, who was purportedly going for mirroring music model with a-la-carte movie purchases, instead of having the file expire after a specific time or number of viewings. We're not sure which rental method Apple will go for, but the movie industry types seem pretty smug about their victory in the matter. As for the iPod, Think Secret's insiders are reporting that the second-gen nano is on the way, which should come in 6-8GB capacities, and feature multiple colors, including that metal alloy enclosure we were hearing about. Otherwise, the new nano shouldn't be much of a departure from the current offering. Rumblings of 40GB and 80GB 5G iPods are also making the rounds, with that 6G being delayed into 2007, but Think Secret doesn't expect anything for the WWDC.Read - iTMS movie rentalsRead - Second-gen iPod nano
Engadget Podcast on Apple's 1st Birthday for Podcasting
Speaking of first birthdays, it's already been a whole year since Apple "legitimized" Podcasting and added it as a standard feature to iTunes. Remember how we debuted at number three? How awesome was that? Well, we had to give a little shout, since they listed Peter and I among their pioneers of Podcasting, recognized on their iTunes 4.9's first birthday. Check it out here -- and if you haven't already subscribed to the Engadget Podcast do so here: subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3), or add the Engadget Podcast RSS feed to your aggregator and have the show delivered automatically (MP3).
New TV shows in US iTMS
Several new shows have been added to the US iTunes Music Store, including Blade: The Series (the first offering from the Spike network), TV Land's Sit Down Comedy with David Steinberg and Viva La Bam from MTV, the show I'm obviously too old to "get." Check 'em out.
